As a child, when I walked to church, I could hear even from afar through the old style outdoor loudspeaker horns- Fr. Abel, CMI's song in Malayalam, which could be translated as:

"In search of God I travelled,

I searched across the oceans.

There is no God here, no God there,

There is no God in the deserted land..."

This man Augustine has amazed me a lot. He was born in what is now Algeria in North Africa. He was something else. One who feasted his flesh. One who looked away from faith, insisting not to believe. His mother's complaints, worries, sorrows and tears never swayed him for a bit. One who was weighed with thoughts. Thirty-some years!

A few instances, a few observations, a few discussions, a few sermons, a few revelations - not one of those he knowingly took upon. Everything just happened as if it happened by chance. On a pitch dark stage he suddenly stepped into the spotlight which was invisible to the spectators. Now the stage is no more dark, but is Augustine.Suddenly he became repentant.

Have quoted these lines before. But, it won't be too much if I repeated:

"Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. ...

You called, you shouted, and you shattered my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace."

Yes, he plunged into the creation. But, wherever he plunged he remained a seeker. Always he kept his awakeness - like a old sub even while moving under the ocean that keeps its periscope above the surface. Even in a sea of noise, he kept his ears attentive as if for some faint voice from the outer space!